Manufacture of low-alcoholic beverages



Patented May 15,1923.

UNITED-ST- TES HEB/MAIN HEUSER, OF EVANSTON', ILLINOIS.

MANUFACTURE OF LOW-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

No Drawing To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Hansen, a citizen of the United States,residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Low-Alcoholic Beverages, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of beverages low inalcohol or substantially free therefrom, and which present thecharacteristics, fiavor,,taste, body and other distinguishing featuresof fermented alcoholic beverages, such as-beer, ale, .wine,

etc; In willbe clearly understood from the description thereofhereinafter given.

In the manufacture of beverageslow in alcohol or substantially freetherefrom hav- I ing the characteristic properties of taste, flavor,body, etc., of natural fermented beverages, it has been proposed toremove the alcohol from such beverages by the applica-' tion of heat. Asa result of this removal of alcohol, however, there is a markeddeterioration in taste, flavor, and other characteristics of thebeverage, rendering it in many cases exceedingly unpleasant for use as abeverage. These changes are due not only to the loss with the alcohol ofvolatile alcohols, esters and acids which aid in giving to the originalbeverage its desirable qualities, but also to changes in character inthe residue utilized for beverage purposes, such as caramelization ofits carbohydrates, coagulation or destruction of its albumens and othernitrogenous bodies and other vital changes in the composition of thebeverage.

In the process described in my previous Patent No. 1,302,551 of May 6,1919, I have proposed to restore to the beverage produced by naturalfermentation and subse- I uent dealcoholization a natural taste and avoridentical with or closely resembling that of a natural fermentedbeverage, and at the same time to remove from the residue theundesirable flavor produced therein by the process, of dealcoholizationby producing in the dealcoholized beverage a live yeast fermentationunder conditions whereby the propagation of yeast is accelerated withoutincreasing its fermentative action. namely, .by permitting thecarbondioxide generated to escape freely and subsergiently artificiallycarbonating the beverage. y this means I have been able to produce abev- Appllcation filed January 12, 1920. Serial No. 350,954.

erage for example, of the beer type, exceedingly low in alcohol (lessthan 0.5%) '.but nevertheless having the flavor and taste and otherdesirable qualities of the natural alcohol containing beverage in suchmeasure as to make it difiicult ,for persons other than the most expertin the art to detect the difference from the natural beverage by tasteand flavor.

I have discovered that the characteristics of flavor, taste,palatability, zest, bouquet, etc., produced by the secondary yeastfermentation of the character described in the dealcoholizedfermentedbeverage residue may beinfluenced and improved by varying thecharacter of food products, available for the yeast in the medium inwhich it is propagated. I have found that in the dealcoholizedfermentation produc which has been used as this medium, certain foodelements are lacking which, if present, would influence the character ofthe propagation of yeast and also of the products produced thereby. Forexample, in dealcoholized beer, wherein complete fermentation .has takenplace and the yeast which produced this fermentation removed prior todealcoholization, a considerable proportion of the natural nitrogenousconstituents of the materials from which the beer has been produced areremoved by the yeast in the original fermentation, and that remainin alarge extent converted into insolu le or undesirable forms during thedealcoholization. Other changes take place in the carbo- 1loiydrates andmineral constituents of the eer.

I have'now discovered that the propagation of yeast in such a medium forthe 'production of a natural fermented flavor and is to.

taste is promoted, and the formation of compounds, particularlyamino-acids. Thus rich in amides or'amino' I may use asparagine-oraspartic acid, or-

the juice expressed from asparagus or let tuce or like asparaginecontaining com-.

As I have found that amino acids pounds.

propagation of yeast are more active in the under the conditionsdescribed herein, it is preferred that such materials be hydrolyzed inorder to convert the asparagine as ,com-

' pletely as possible into soluble and assimilable compounds derived bythe more or less complete degradation of proteins by enzyme action orchemical action, or by the action of the life process. Thus I mayutilize the extracts derived from germination products of grains, suchas malt sprouts or similar products.

I have likewise found that the yeast cells themselves provide a materialcontaining amino compounds and amides which is of great efiiciency inpromoting the propagation of yeast with the production and flavors andbouquets desired 'in non-alcoholic fermented beverages. The contents ofthe cells may be extracted without substantial change in any suitablemanner, for example, as in the form of Buchners yeast juice, which isprepared by grinding a pasty mass of yeast with sand and kieselguhr andexpressing the juice from the paste by filtration under a suitably highpressure, for example, 160 to 200 lbs. per square inch. Before thisjuice is used the zymase is preferably destroyed either by heating thejuice to a temperature at which the zymase is killed, or byauto-digestion by the endotryptase contained in the juice. The juicethus treated, may then be utilized in connection with the dealcoholizedbeverage to aid in the propagation of the yeast therein.

It is preferred, however, that the cell contents of the yeast be madeavailable for the further propagation of yeast either by rupturingthecell integuments or by the action of the endotryptase contained withinthe yeast itself. In the first place the yeast may be boiled for asufiicient length of time to effect the rupturing of the cell walls andthe liberation of their contents. The boiling of the yeast may becarried out simultaneously with the dealcoholization of theprimaryfermerited beverage, for example, by adding the desired amount of thickfluid pitching yeast to the beer during or just prior todealcoholization. Thus, in the preparation of a beer-like beverage, aprimary beer produced in the usual manner and from which the yeasthasbe'en removed, is treated with a suitable amount of pitching yeasteither just prior to or while being boiled to effect itsdealcoholization. A suitable amount of yeast to be added is 150 lbs. foreach 100 barrels of the completed beverage. During thedealcoholization,-whichmay be carried in the final beverage.

on at 01' near atmospheric pressure, the east cells are ruptured andtheir contents iberated and diffused through the mass of thedealcoholized beverage.

I may likewise utilize for this purpose the yeast which was employed forthe first fermentation of the-beer subjected to dealcoholization, forinstance, that contained in the beer to be dealcoholized afterfermentation without separation. Such yeast contains or has associatedwith it considerable of the hop flavoring material assimilated orabsorbed from the hopped Wort, and, if placed in the beer to bedealcoholized in. the unwashed condition, imparts thereto an agreeablehop flavor.

The dealcoholized material containing the yeast cell contents is thenbrought back to its original volume ,by dilution and a yeastfermentation produced therein, preferably under the conditions describedent No. 1,302,551, whereby a yeast propagation is promoted. That is, thecarbon dioxide formed during the fermentation is permitted to pass offwithout effecting carbonation of the beverage, which is later carbonatedartificially. As a result of the presence of the yeast cell contents inthe beverage, this yeast propagation is further promoted by supplying tothe yeast a form'of food highly suited to it, and furthermore one,which, as I have discovered, greatly accelerates and increases theformation of the desired bouquet. taste and flavor producing materialsThe yeast cell contents added will also markedly aid the propagativeaction of the yeast even when the carbon dioxide is retained in thebeverage during the secondary yeast fermentation.

Instead of making the yeast cell contents available by rupturing theyeast cells by heat, I may render the yeast cell contents available byenzyme action or digestion, prefferably by autolysis of the yeast. Forexample,-15O lbs. of thick fluid pitching east,

preferably washed, may be maintaine at a temperature of approximately122 F. being preferablyoccasionally agitated, and within about threedays under such conditions it is completely autolysed by the action ofthe in my prior Pat endotryptase of the yeast cells themselves.

At this temperature the zymase, is practically destroyed. In order thatthere may be a complete hydrolysis of the amides present in theaiitolyzed mass, a small amount of a suitable acid, for example 1% ofacetic acidmay be added to the autolysed yeast, which is then keptat atemperature of approximately 122 F. for an additional three to sixhours, whereby hydrolysis of the acid amides is effected.

The autolysed yeast thus prepared, which has a very ronounced meatyodor, is added to adealco olized beer, the latter in quantity suflicientfor the production of about 100 barrels of completed beverage. Thetreated dealcoholized beer likewise has the meaty add to the treateddealcoholized beverage a suitable quantity of yeast and of fermentablematter, for example 510%, of fermenting wort containing live yeast, asdescribed in my prior Patent No. 1,302,551 previously referred to.produced is referably carried on with elimination o the carbon dioxideformed, propagation of the yeast'to its fullest extent being therebypromoted. During this fermentation the meaty odor imparted to thedealcoholized beverage by the autolysed yeast gradually disappears, andthe ropagation of the yeast under these con itions produces the'highlydesirable flavor and bouquet imparting substances in the final beverage,which may contain less than 0.5% of alcohol. In fact, in this manner Ihave produced a beer-like beverage containing less than 0.2% flavor,taste and bouquet of a true beer.

When simpler amino compounds, such as aspara 'ne or asparatic' acid, areutilized for ai ing the desired flavor and bouquet producing propagationof yeast in the secondary fermentation, the dealcoholized beverage inthe proportions of approximately 30-40 grams of asparagine or about 30rams of aspartic acid per barrel of compfiated bevera e. The yeastfermentation is then produce therein, preferably without carbonating thebeverage, as described in my patent previously re ferred to, and thebeverage, after filtering is artificially carbonated.

This process is highly suitable for the manufacture of beer-likebeverages, and m from fruit juices,

y auto ysis.

the specific examples abovev given its use in this connection has beendescribed. It may likewise be utilized in the manufacture of wine andother fermented beverages derived in which case it is desirable, for theproduction of a final product having the same flavor and bouquet as theoriginal alcohol containing beverage that the yeast utilized both forthe supply of the yeast food for the secondary yeast propagation and theyeast utilized in the secondary yeast pro agation itself be of the samecharacter as t e yeast which produces the original fermentation. Thus inthe manufacture of dealcoholized 'wine, it is preferred that wine yeastbe utilized in the secondary yeast propagation, and that the yeast cellcontents empolyed to control the propa-- thereof be derived from winerupturing the cells thereof or It is furthermore apparent that byvarying the character of the dealcoholized primary fermented liquids andthe yeast utilized 'gation yeast b odor of the autolysed yeast. I ,then'The yeast fermentation of alcohol and having the full holic beveragefrom a they may be added to for the production 01! 7 autol'yzed yeast toflavor, bouquet, etc., therein, many desirable combinations of flavor hrtaste may be produced in the final beverage. a

a The specific examples recited herein are for the purpose ofillustration and the theories( advanced are intended to supply anexplanation thereof, but are not intended to limit the process except inso far as included in the accompanying claims.

I claim: I

1. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which consits in supplying in thedealcoholized beverage a nitrogenous yeast food which promotes flavorand taste producing yeast proparagtion, and producing a secondarylimited yeast fermentation therein. i

2. The process of producinna low alcoholic beverage from a.dealcoholized fermented beverage which consists in supplying in thedealcholized beverage nitrogenous food compounds containing the aminogroup and producinga secondary limited yeast fermentation therein.

3. The process. of producing a low alcodealcoholized fermented beveragewhich consists in supplying in the dealcoholized beverage amino acidsand producing a secondary limited yeast fermentation therein.

4. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which consists in supplying in thedealcoholized beverage soluble proteins and producing a secondarylimited yeast fermentation therein.

5. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized v fermented beverage which consists in supplying in thedealcoholized beverage yeast cell ,contents and producing a secondarylimited yeast fermentation therein.

6. The process of producing a low alcoholc beverage from a dealcoholizedfermented beverage which consits in su plying to the dealcoholizedbeverage pre igested yeast cell contents and producing a secondarvlimited yeast fermentation therein.

7. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which consists in supplying to thedealcoholized beverage autolyzed yeast and producing a secon ary limitedyeast fermentation therein. 4

8. The processof producing a low alcoholic beverage from a dealcoholizedfermented beverage which. consists in sup lying to the dealcoholizedbeverage eat ruptured yeastand producin a secondary limited yeastfermentation t erein.

its

holic beverage from a mented beverage which consists in addindealcoholized beer and dealcoholized ferlive yeast, producing a limitewort and also adding thereto fermenting f yeast er'-' mentation withoutcarbonating the beverage out carbonating the beverage, and subsequentlycarbonating the beverage.

'11. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which consists in supplying yeastcontaining assimilated and associated hop substances to a fermentedbeer,

efi'ect removal of the alcohol, thereby rupturing the yeast cells,producing in the beer a limited yeast fermentation without carbonatingthe beverage, and subsequently carbonating the beverage.

12. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized 'ferwhich consists in. supplying yeast containingassimilated and associated hop substances to a fermented beer, boilingthe beer to effect removal of the alcohol, thereby rupturing? the yeastcells, producing in the beer a limited yeast fermentation withoutcarbonating the beverage, and subsequently carbonating the beverage, the

boiling the beer to 1: yeast being added in the proportion of about 150pounds to 100 barrels of the everage.

13. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which consists in adding autolyzedyeast to dealcoholized beer, producing therein a secondary limited yeastfermentation without carbonating the beverage, and subsequentlycarbonatingthe beverage, the autolyzed yeast being added in theproportion of the product from about 150 lbs. of yeast to 100 barrels ofcompleted beverage. J

14:. The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcoholized fermented beverage which-consists in adding aspartic acidto dealcoholized beer, producing therein a secondary limited yeastfermentation without carbonatin the bev-, erage, and subsequentlycarbonatlng thebeverage, aspartic acid being added in the proportions ofabout 30 grams per barrel of completed beverage.

15. .The process of producing a low alcoholic beverage from adealcohollzed fermented beverage which consists in adding asparagine todealcoholized beer, producing therein a secondary limited yeastfermentation without carbonating the beverage, and subsequentlycarbonating the beverage, asparagine being added in the proportions of30-40 grams per barrel of completed beverage.

HERMAN I-IEUSER.

completed I

